Siobhan Shand

The high quality health center transformation projects led by Siobhan were announced by the Governor of Delaware as the centerpiece of Delaware’s statewide initiative to reduce unintended pregnancy.– Peter Belden, Co-founder at Upstream USA

Describe your contributions to and achievements in family planning.

I have spent the last 10 years working to ensure that all people- regardless of insurance, immigration or economic status- have access to quality, patient-centered reproductive healthcare. Currently, I work with healthcare providers around the country- from pediatric to urgent care practices- to increase their capacity to offer same-day access to contraception, particularly the most effective forms- the IUDs and the implant. This involves not only training providers to place the methods and staff to provide effective counseling, but working to eliminate challenging, systemic barriers to patient access- including reimbursement, billing and coding, workflow, and public awareness. My goal is to create a healthcare environment which better supports patients in achieving their own goals.

What sparked your passion for family planning?

I believe that when people have true reproductive choice- the ability to have children only when and if they want to- really good things happen...for themselves, their families and for future generations. I have been passionate about addressing healthcare disparities and creating a more accessible, just health care environment since my first year of college, but my passion is renewed nearly every day, in my work with incredible providers and staff around the country.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your family planning efforts, and what have you done to overcome it?

Change is hard! And change in the healthcare setting is particularly challenging. Healthcare providers and staff are constantly being asked to do more with less- this can make improving or changing their service delivery model feel like an insurmountable task. Providing them with the right tools to sustain the change is key, as is taking as much off their plate as possible- from developing templates, to writing protocols, to designing proctoring plans, to renegotiating contracts for them.

What is your (country/region/city)’s biggest challenge in family planning, and how can it be addressed?

In the United States, Family Planning is still seen as a specialty service. Women should be able to have their basic health care needs addressed, regardless of where or how they access services- whether it be at their OBGYN office, a community clinic, or an urgent care setting. This shift often requires helping providers reframe how they think about these services: the need to prevent pregnancy is urgent, primary care and should be prioritized and addressed accordingly.

What do you want to accomplish in the next 5 years?

Ensure that every single patient in the US has true access to the full range of contraceptive options- same day, on demand!